Personal Effects
A grieving wrestler and a murder victim’s widow build a fragile connection while navigating courtrooms, family obligations, and the long aftermath of violence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- somber
- melancholic
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective viewing
What critics said
Critics generally found the film sincere and emotionally grounded, while noting that its grief drama can feel conventional and uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Walter and Linda, both connected to murder victims, develop a friendship shaped by shared mourning.
Walter and Linda repeatedly attend proceedings and await verdicts concerning the deaths of their loved ones.
Work, exercise, family obligations, rummage sales, and community events coexist with Walter and Linda's grief.
The plot foregrounds autopsy references, cemetery visits, court appearances, and restrained domestic spaces rather than spectacle.
Films like Personal Effects, and why
Rabbit Hole
shared grief-centered drama, bereavement, and intimate character study
The Sweet Hereafter
shared themes of mourning, damaged family relationships, and emotional recovery
The Dead Girl
shared restrained drama about survivors forming an unexpected bond after violent loss
In the Bedroom
shared working-class realism, bereavement, and gradual emotional reconnection
Movie Details
- Director
- David Hollander
- Release Date
- 2009-03-05
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (143)
Cast
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Ashton Kutcher
- Kathy Bates
- Spencer Hudson
- John Mann
- David James Lewis
- Rob LaBelle
- Aleks Paunovic
- Brian Markinson
- Sarah Lind
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Personal Effects about?
- A grieving wrestler and a murder victim’s widow build a fragile connection while navigating courtrooms, family obligations, and the long aftermath of violence.
- What is Personal Effects like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Personal Effects as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Personal Effects violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Personal Effects as moderate.
- What did critics think of Personal Effects?
- Critics generally found the film sincere and emotionally grounded, while noting that its grief drama can feel conventional and uneven.
- Which films are like Personal Effects?
- Films with a similar feel include Rabbit Hole, The Sweet Hereafter, The Dead Girl, and In the Bedroom.
- How long is Personal Effects?
- Personal Effects runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Personal Effects?
- In United States, Personal Effects streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
